Stop the war in Iraq

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday April 01, 2003 18:41 by CWI - Committee For A Worker's International

Melbourne protesters block prime minister's function

Melbourne protesters block prime minister's function

31 March 2003
Stop the war in Iraq
Melbourne protesters block prime minister's function
Last Friday night, 28 March, the Socialist Party (SP - CWI in Australia) led a demonstration of over 500 outside a Liberal Party function where the Prime Minister, John Howard, was guest speaker.
The Howard government fully supports the war in Iraq and has sent 2,000 troops to assist the US and British forces' invasion. We attempted to stop Howard getting to the event and the bravery of protestors meant it took three attempts by the Federal and State police for Howard to sit down (one hour late) for his meal!
The SP organised the PA and speakers' list at the protest. Participants heard representatives of Greenpeace, the Greens, CFMEU (furniture trades union), Youth Against War, other left wing parties, as well as SP members.
The rally got big TV and radio coverage, as well as being reported in The Herald-Sun, Melbourne's tabloid daily paper.
The next day, Saturday 29 March, over 30,000 people marched in Melbourne in the latest Victorian Peace Network rally (SP is an affiliate to the Network).